Northern Ireland is mostly Protestant, while the rest of Ireland is not only mainly Catholic...but Irish Catholic. Now the strong religious factions are breaking down so a united Ireland is possible IMO. The real hatred of each other’s religion began with William and Mary of Orange when they took the throne and legislated against just the Irish Catholics, forbidding them owning land, forbidding the Church holding mass, etc. Feelings run deep and it has taken centuries to get over...but religion seems to be a failing enterprise nowadays so perhaps everyone can live in harmony.
My best friend in high school was a Catholic, and he left school in his Junior year to join his family regiment, the Royal Scots, as a musician in their regimental band.
One of the first questions he was asked was, “What religion are you?” Having grown up in the US, he innocently answered ‘Catholic’, and got belted in the mouth.
He did a tour in Northern Ireland. Bandsmen are tasked as stretcher-bearers, I’m told. He’s been out of the Army for ages. We’re still in touch and talk from time to time, even though he’s become a flaming lib.
I think that those three logical options as a referendum might make Sinn Fein, the political arm of the IRA if I recall correctly, sit down and shut up for a while.
Northern Ireland is mostly Protestant, while the rest of “Ireland is not only mainly Catholic...but Irish Catholic. Now the strong religious factions are breaking down so a united Ireland is possible IMO. The real hatred of each other’s religion began with William and Mary of Orange when they took the throne and legislated against just the Irish Catholics, forbidding them owning land, forbidding the Church holding mass, etc. Feelings run deep and it has taken centuries to get over...but religion seems to be a failing enterprise nowadays so perhaps everyone can live in harmony.”
You might want to look at “United Irishmen 1798”
It ain’t all about religion. I hope the violence is over, though.
My people left NO in 1718, never to return.